Improved artificial fuel



UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

H. WILVERTH, OF OASEYVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL FUEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 26,54 l, dated December 20, 1:59.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatl,H.WILVER'rH, of Caseyville,in thecounty of Union and State of Kentucky have invented a new and Improved Composition for Artificial Fuel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The object of this invention is to make use of those small pieces of coal that are generally considered entirely worthless, and which therefore can be obtained to any amount, especially in the neighborhood of coal mines,at the mere costoftransportation, and to convert the same, by mixing them with coal-tar, common salt and alum, cream of lime, and, where it becomes necessary, some sulphuric acid, in to a fuel that burns easily, gives out considerable heat, and creates little or no smoke, at a cost not exceeding the price of good coal.

The above'name l ingredients of my composition are mixed togetherin the following proportions: one hundred partsofcoal-dust; eight parts of coaltar; one part of common salt or alum, or both, mixed together; two parts of cream of lime. It the coal contains sulphur or pyrites, I also add to this mixture two parts of sulphuric acid.

In order to make the coal suitable for my purposes, the first thing necessary is to wash and clear itfrom its impurities. To elfect this I pass the coal through a vat containing water, wherein, by the agitation of an endless screw and a sieve, those impurities which dissolve in water are caused to precipitate to the bot-tom. After this operation the coal is reduced by the action of a grinding mill into fine powder, and now it passes into aretort, which is heated by the exhaust-steam of the engine or by a separate fire, and when perfectly dry it drops into another retort wherein the several ingredients are mixed together. The coal-tar, salt,

'alum, and cream of lime are heated in a separate vessel or boiler, and when thoroughly mixed the requisite quantity is conducted to the retort containing the heated coal-dust, and the whole is well stirred and mixed together.

The composition is now ready, and in order to make it convenient for use I form itiuto the composition as the wheel rotates, and am I other smooth-faced wheel presses the contents I of each recess closely down into the same, I

thus forming cakes that are pushed out ofI-the recesses by a particular arrangement of pistons, and an endless band under said wheel serves to conduct the ready-made cakes to an I oven wherein they are dried. Thus prepared my fuel is read y for use.

it the coal contains sulphur or pyrites, I add to the mixture of coal-tar, salt, alum, and cream of lime a small quantity of sulphuric acid, about the proportion before stated.

This fuel can be used for locomotives and I all other purposes where smoke is particularly I objectionable, it softens and swells in the fire, I like bituminous coal, it coheres in the fire, and

it produces but few ashes. y

. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

A composition formed by mixing the above mentioned ingredients together in the proportions and in the manner herein specified, for

the purpose set forth. I

H. WILVERTIII Witnesses:

S. E. LINDSEY, JOHN T. OLEMENTs. 

